Commitment to Evaluation
JA is committed to evaluating our programs on a consistent basis. In the past 10 years (1997-2007), 80% of JA's current programs have undergone a comprehensive, nationwide evaluation by a third-party evaluation firm, and eleven additional programs are scheduled to be evaluated during the 2007-2008 academic year. Furthermore, the Worldwide Institute for Research and Evaluation (WIRE) conducted a comprehensive longitudinal study from 2001-2003 to evaluate the long-terms effects of JA's programs, and planning for a second longitudinal study will begin during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Educators
In a 2005 survey of over 1,600 teachers, teachers on average "strongly agreed" that hosting JA programs in their classrooms was a positive experience. Teachers said that JA programs were engaging, easy to use, appealing to students, age-appropriate, and of high quality.

Students
JA's impact on student achievement is consistent and significant. JA students, as compared to students in general, are significantly more likely to believe that they will graduate from high school, pursue postsecondary education, and graduate from college.

Elementary School
Students who participated in JA for multiple years during elementary grades increased their learning and skill development, problem-solving and decision-making skills, and class participation.

Middle School
Middle grades students who participate in one or more JA programs are significantly less likely than their peers who do not participate in JA programs to:

• be tardy to class within a four-week period (23% vs. 37%)
• cut or have an unapproved absence within a four-week period (2% vs. 10%)
• be absent from school within a four-week period (26% vs. 55%)

High School
High school students who participate in JA's programs are significantly more likely than non-participating peers to:

• graduate from high school (93% graduation rate with two JA experiences, 100% with three or more experiences)
• pursue post-secondary education (69% with no JA experiences, 77% with at least one experience)
• believe that they can control their destiny (56% with no JA experiences, 83% with at least one experience)
• start their own business within one year of high school graduation (less than 1% with no JA experiences, 3% with at least one experience)

Additional Information
More information about Junior Achievement's program evaluations and results can be found on JA Worldwide's evaluation website, which has detailed findings for elementary, middle, and high school programs.